The Dwarven Peaks: A Brief Overview of the Nine keeps
Slamnog Keep: Thulmar Slamnog, The Wise The Northernmost Keep and charged with being the first line of defense in case of an orcish invasion of the Peaks, the dwarves of Slamnog keep take immense pride in the odd name of their keep, a name which comes from the infamously potent ‘Slamnog Ale’ brewed in the breweries of the keep that has a track record of knocking even the hardiest of dwarves on their rears. Famed for being highly capable brewmasters and all-knowing when it comes to ale, the dwarves of Slamnog keep are rowdy, durable even among others of their kind, and the hardest partiers in the Dwarven Peaks. As a keep, Slamnog Keep is one of the newest Keeps, having been constructed after one of the great wars between Draconia and the wild lands spilled over into the peaks. ' ' Farcutter Keep: Lord: Balthazar Farcutter, The Silver-tongued One of the northernmost Keeps and the keep in charge of relations with draconia, Farcutter keep is the designated staging point for dwarven military excursions into draconian lands, as well as the keep that maintains the most contact with the surface lands. Unlike most of the other keeps, much of Farcutter keep has been rebuilt many times over for the sake of accommodating both tourists and travelers, the telltale imposing dwarven architecture not as present as in other keeps. The dwarves of farcutter are keen listeners and watchers, excellent scouts, and to the disbelief of most other races, they are masters of social cues and make incredibly shrewd diplomats, owing to the constant contact with the surface lands. The dwarves of the other peaks have a saying about the dwarves of Farcutter: ‘Never get drunk around a Farcutter. You’ll wake up and find out you signed away everything you own and gave away rights to your home for the next five years.’ ' ' Ironmine Keep: Lord: Scarvein Ironmine, The Deepdiver Ironmine keep is, as the name might suggest, the keep in possession of the highest amounts of mineral wealth. As great mining shafts, dug out of the very stone of the mountain, spiral deep into the earth, the dwarves of ironmine keep are masters of minerals and stonework, the very image of dwarven masculinity. Hardy, strong, and in tune with stone, the dwarves of ironmine are not only superb miners, but also the best craftsmen in all the nine keeps, famed for their skill in metalwork. Also the deepest underground of the nine keeps, Ironmine keep is far, far beneath the earth, and even further still counting the mineshafts bored into the earth for the sake of mining. In Ironmine keep, mining and craftsmanship is all they know, and they care little for anything outside of those that aren’t alcohol, women, or fighting. Flintguard Keep: Lord: ??? The newest of the keeps yet also a keep quite rapidly approaching the status of the most powerful, Flintguard keep is completely shut off to any and all outsiders, and any non-dwarven citizens of the peaks who haven’t proven themselves worthy in some form or fashion. From the little that is known about it, Flintguard keep is a titanic, sprawling weapons factory, churning out the endless arms and armor of the dwarven military...yet, the dwarves of Ironmine stubbornly claim it is they who produce the militaries arms and armor. In hushed tones and whispered voices, the citizens of the peaks speak of a mysterious weapon that belches fire and steel, a roaring thunderclap that pierces metal and flesh alike...a weapon of demons, not of mortal hands, though many claim that is merely superstition. What is undeniable is the vast gates of Flintguard keep have never opened since they were built, and mysterious carts full of strange objects are regularly hauled underground to Stonecutter keep... ' ' Stonecutter Keep, Capital of the Peaks: Current King of the Dwarves: Thovon Blackbarrel, the Unkillable The largest and most impressive of the nine keeps as well as the capital of the Dwarven Peaks, Stonecutter keep is the seat of the Dwarven Council, which governs all the lands of the Peaks. All roads, above ground and underground, lead back to Stonecutter keep to create a vast network of tunnels spiraling to all the keeps and back. It is the council which makes the decisions of the keeps, such as leading them to war, crowning a new dwarven hero and commissioning the carving of his visage onto a mountain, and all other such matters. In the hallowed halls of Stonecutter Citadel, the glorious centerpiece of the Keep, the lords of each of the eight keeps meet and discuss the matters at hand and air their differences, and bring up new matters or goings-on. It is also the largest keep, built as a sprawling city beneath the largest mountain of the Dwarven peaks with districts for every purpose, from housing, commerce, ruling, and more. Each keep has rights to maintain Stonecutter keep, and armies from each of the keeps participate and serve as city guards in regular shifts. Due to the high influx of tourists and travelers from its sister Keep, Farcutter, Stonecutter keep has the highest public security of all the keeps, so as to keep the public order. ' ' Wildstrider Keep: Lord: Duran Wildstrider, Magescarred The easternmost of the keeps and the keep most foreign to the nations of Western Ea, Wildstrider keep is rarely visited by anyone from the western lands, not only owing to the distance from the other keeps and the Dwarven Peaks, but to its immensely close proximity to the Shattered lands. Built as the easternmost bulwark against an invasion to the east, Wildstrider keep is the most vibrant and unique of the keeps owing to its location. Host to all walks of life from both the Western and Eastern lands, Wildstrider keep is built firmly into the earth in a great, sprawling citadel in the shape of concentric, interlocking rings, with a grand fortress standing proudly in the center of a grand, hollowed-out cavern beneath the earth. Also contributing to its isolation from the western lands is the fact its only surface gate is firmly facing east, a set of firm, proud walls forming a barrier all across the eastern entrance of the Dwarven Peaks. Owing to its nature and purpose as the easternmost keep, Wildstrider keep is a highly developed, bustling trade and commerce hub, with traders from the east arriving in regular intervals to trade their goods in the great, sprawling markets of the underground city, as well as to escape Tamamo-No-Mae’s harsh,cruel reign. As such, it is not an uncommon sight to see a giant Ursini striding down the street arm in arm with a Dwarf, or a human, as nearly all races in ea have a presence in Wildstrider keep. Host to the second best smiths in the keeps and the most highly skills magic users and enchanters in all the keeps, Wildstrider keep is also perpetually beset by storms of wild magic on the easternmost fringes of the city, even underground, creating a population deeply familiar with Wild Magic and magic in general. ' ' Mythmantle Keep: Lord(Grand Bishop): Bishop Ralgor, The Pious Also referred to as ‘The Keep of Cathedrals’, Mythmantle keep is home to the priest orders of the Dwarven Peaks, the grand, sprawling city decorated with religious buildings and iconography in their worship of Moradin, their god. While other gods do have a presence in the city in cathedrals of their own, the predominant worship is of Moradin, and nearly all religious buildings are dedicated to him. Unlike other cities, where elected public officials hold the office of ‘Lord of the city’, in Mythmantle, a Grand bishop, head of all the religious activity in the city, is elected as ‘Lord of the city’ instead. A popular place for religious dwarves to go to on pilgrimage not only for the highly religious nature of the city, but also for the famous event that happens once a month known as ‘The Ringing of the Bells’, where every cathedral in the city tolls its bell in celebration of their god. While public order is high, there are few city guards, owing to the fact that very, very little outsiders visit it, and the religious nature of the dwarves and races who lives there. However, it is said the city is far from helpless…. ' ' Wraithbeard Keep: Lord: Aivix Wraithbeard, Stoneshaper The southernmost keep and the southern bastion of the Dwarven peaks, Wraithbeard keep is home to the finest dwarven stonecrafters in all the Keeps. Home of the first stoneworkers who carved the tunnels that link the keeps together, the dwarves of wraithbeard keep are a dour, stoic, silent people, owing to their continuous work in maintaining the tunnels. As they are most at home in the tunnels, the dwarves of Wraithbeard keep have styled their city accordingly. A city built in a style similar to a giant, sprawling set of catacombs, Wraithbeard keep is a sprawling, twisting maze of tunnels and plazas, with a large fortress sitting in the center of the dark, dim cavern the city calls home. ' ' Steelgut Keep: Lord: General Klaum Steelgut, The One-Eyed Oni The keep on the southern border of Stonecutter Keep, Steelgut is the home of the dwarven military. A keep built with the image of defensibility in mind, Steelgut is a veritable unbreakable bulwark even among the keeps, the massive, sprawling cavern the city is located in home to only one entrance: the tunnels leading to Stonecutter keep. The only keep to lack a surface entrance, Steelgut is rarely, if ever, visited by outsiders or tourists due to its secluded nature, though any and all are free to come and mingle with the vast hordes of soldiers on standby there at all times. Famed for being the biggest consumer of Slamnog Keep’s signature ale, the dwarves of Steelgut are all military folk, but when off-duty, they have no qualms partying and having fun. Though it lacks most traditional city functions such as a market or residential district, being built for military use, there are inns for guests who enjoy peace of mind.